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Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

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WRECKED AJ\'l> JU VED.<br />

"I nm B<strong>or</strong>ry," exclaimed Peter. "What haa <strong>the</strong> trouble<br />

:; ?"<br />

"<br />

Y.iii Juiow that slio and ilop<strong>or</strong> Lave been long going<br />

married."<br />

"Yes, T know tlmt."<br />

"<br />

It was t > have boon this mouth, nnd it is not to be."<br />

to bo<br />

"What, broken oil 1<br />

?"<br />

"<br />

Xo; not hrukt-H but tiff, put <strong>of</strong>f. It is her fa<strong>the</strong>r's doing,<br />

nnd I don't know <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> it. "<br />

1<br />

After this Fet<strong>or</strong> bade Mrs. Mills good-nigh and set <strong>of</strong>f to<br />

,<br />

wa.k through Treddmgton to <strong>the</strong> terrace on wh ch was Miss<br />

Lance's house. As he was going on at a, steady pace, he saw a<br />

/ace ho knew, nnd st. pped. "\ihy, Roper !" he cried, and<br />

stretched out his hand.<br />

" Thank you, sir," said <strong>the</strong> sail<strong>or</strong>, with a fine smile spreading<br />

all over his "<br />

face. I have not seen you f<strong>or</strong> long, and<br />

<strong>the</strong>y tell me you are up in <strong>the</strong> w<strong>or</strong>ld; climbing <strong>the</strong> ladder, I<br />

hear. I always wished you well, and I am glad to have my<br />

wish. "<br />

"<br />

Many thanks to you," said Peter. "You've had a long<br />

absence."<br />

' '<br />

Nearly five years.<br />

iir."<br />

And I have to go again. That's bad,<br />

' ' Were you thinking <strong>of</strong> a holiday ?"<br />

"Yes; and a wife. But <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r puts me rff; and Mary<br />

made a promise about not marrving without her fa<strong>the</strong>r's con-<br />

gent. Put <strong>of</strong>f f<strong>or</strong> two years. I've no trust in James Gardener,<br />

and I never had. He loves nothing but money. He promised<br />

Mary fifty pounds to start with; and now he says, with oaths<br />

and anger, that he has been robbed, and it will ta:;e him two<br />

years to put th3 money toge<strong>the</strong>r pgam. Now I'd take her<br />

without a penny. <strong>The</strong> money i s nothing to me. But he had<br />

<strong>of</strong>ten promised Mary, and she wants to keep him to his promise.<br />

But, above all, she has promised hi':u to help to make up<br />

his loss, and so between <strong>the</strong>m I am to go again to s?a, instead<br />

house, and just as he got <strong>the</strong>re he saw a man turn suddenly<br />

iway, and, by <strong>the</strong> dim evening light, he saw <strong>the</strong> man disappear<br />

round <strong>the</strong> c<strong>or</strong>ner <strong>of</strong> a house whi h stood in ti.e angle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

road leading down to <strong>the</strong> meadows, which lay between <strong>the</strong> river<br />

nd <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> Miss Lance's house.<br />

Peter knew <strong>the</strong> mau immediately. Indeed <strong>the</strong> man made no<br />

attempt at concealment. It was James Gardener ; and he<br />

faced round f<strong>or</strong> a moment and cast on Peter a vile look <strong>of</strong><br />

hatred, such as it is to be hoped seldom cli figures a human<br />

countenance. It made Peter ktart. But Gardener was gone<br />

in a moment, and Peter entered Miss Lance's house, and heard<br />

himself called from <strong>the</strong> drawing-room.<br />

" We*are going to try this glee, " said Miss Jane. "Come<br />

and take your part. It is not difficult. You will sing ic at<br />

sight."<br />

<strong>The</strong>re, just arrived, stood Drake.<br />

CHAPTER VH.<br />

Peter took his part in <strong>the</strong> song pointed out by Miss Jane<br />

Lance, just giving a smile to Frederick Drake, whom he had<br />

aeeii ukeady that day.<br />

i- did his best, which Miss Lance pronounced to be really<br />

very creditable to him, a d !: and Drake j.iv.tiled so far by<br />

instructions and repetitions as to siii'

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